 | | January 28, 2011 View this newsletter as a web page on CFR's website.  | EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - Fresh Protests Rage in Egypt
- China Introduces First Property Tax
- U.S. Official Remanded on Pakistan Murders
- Germany Approves New Afghan Mission | |  | | Top of the Agenda: Fresh Protests Rage in Egypt Following Friday prayers, a new wave of anti-government protests (Haaretz) erupted across Egypt. The demonstrations have continued for four consecutive days, as activists pressed for the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak, who has ruled for nearly thirty years. Employing tear gas, rubber bullets, and water cannons, police tried to disperse throngs of demonstrators. Many arrests and detentions have been made, and the BBC reported clashes with security forces in multiple cities. Analysts expected Friday's rallies to be the biggest so far, with websites urging people to join after attending prayers. As a result, the government has disrupted or restricted communications including cellphones and social media (NYT), which has also hampered the ability of journalists to report on the unrest. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appealed to Egypt's leaders and people to "avoid further violence." Mubarak has remained silent since protests began on Tuesday; the ruling National Democratic Party met to discuss the crisis on Thursday and said it was prepared for dialogue. Analysis: The most significant Egyptian political unrest in years spells diplomatic challenges for the Obama administration and could ripple across the Middle East. In this article for ForeignPolicy.com, Marc Lynch asks "Will the Arab revolutions spread?" Background: This CFR Contingency Planning Memo discusses political instability in Egypt and assesses the possibility of a troubled leadership succession or an Islamist push for political power, the implications for the United States, and policy steps the U.S. government might take. | | | | MIDDLE EAST: Lebanon Completes Talks on New Government Lebanon's prime minister-designate Najib Miqati finished discussions on the formation of a new government (AFP), and will report back to President Michel Suleiman on Saturday before choosing his ministers. The coalition of Sunni rival Saad Hariri has refused to take part in the new administration. In this op-ed for the Global Post, CFR's Mohamad Bazzi discusses Hezbollah's maneuverings in the recent Lebanese political crisis. | | | | PACIFIC RIM: China Introduces First Property Tax In its campaign to curb housing speculation, China approved property tax trials for Shanghai and Chongqing (Bloomberg). Despite the measure, investment analysts at Goldman Sachs "expect this new policy to have limited incremental impact on transaction volume and price." Japan: Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan vowed fiscal reforms in the wake of a downgrade in the country's long-term debt rating by Standard & Poor's (Reuters). In order to institute his reforms, Kan needs the support of opposition parties that, according to observers, have shown little tendency to compromise. | | | | SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA: U.S. Official Remanded on Pakistan Murders After appearing in court on double murder charges, a U.S. consulate worker was remanded to the custody of Pakistani police. The official claimed self defense in the shooting that left two Pakistanis dead in Lahore (AP). Afghanistan: A suicide bomb exploded in a popular Kabul supermarket (BBC), killing at least six Afghans and foreigners. Violence in the country is at its highest level since the overthrow of the Taliban government in late 2001. | | | | AFRICA: Tunisia Purges Cabinet of Ben Ali Allies After negotiations with political parties and civil society groups, Tunisian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi purged the cabinet of ministers from the government of ousted president Ben Ali. Ghannouchi said he would stay in his post as the country prepares for new elections (al-Jazeera) in the coming months. Sudan: The Satellite Sentinel Project, an initiative of several U.S.-based NGOs, says it has captured images of Sudanese military deployments in strategic areas along the North-South border (allAfrica), but the troops do not look like they are preparing forward movement. CFR's Micah Zenko and Rebecca R. Friedman argue that rather than create a comprehensive early warning system for preventing conflict, the UN can focus on other reforms to improve its ability to analyze and absorb existing early-warning information. | | | | AMERICAS: Financial Crisis Inquiry Issues Report The Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission released its findings into the 2008 financial disaster (WSJ), describing twelve of the thirteen largest U.S. financial institutions as "at risk of failure." Analysts imply the report does not deliver any new revelations, and suggest partisan divisions may hinder its impact. As federal regulators flesh out financial reform specifics, questions remain about how the Volcker Rule--aimed at preventing banks from taking overly risky bets--will work, and whether it will make the financial system safer. Chile: Chile is launching its first investigation into the death of President Salvador Allende (Latin America News), thirty-seven years after the socialist leader was found shot in the head during a U.S.-backed coup. Until now, his death had been ruled a suicide. | | | | EUROPE: Germany Approves New Afghan Mission The German Bundestag approved a one-year extension to its military mandate in Afghanistan (DeutscheWelle). The proposal also contained the first explicit plans for withdrawal, to begin by the end of 2011 and be completed by 2014. Italy: Italian prosecutors alleged that a second female minor was present at Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's private residences on multiple occasions. Prosecutors are investigating claims that Berlusconi paid for sex with a minor (CNN), though he denies the allegations. | | | | EXPLORE CFR's WEBSITE: Regions Issues Experts Publications About CFR Find CFR on Twitter and Facebook. Privacy Policy
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